dyton mupawaenda
Eddie Chikamhi-Zimpapers Sports Hub
SIX years after he was unceremoniously shown the exit, Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe is once again the fall guy at Dynamos, axed for a third time in a span marked by chaos and chronic under achievement.
Chigowe’s dismissal comes in the wake of a calamitous start to the 2025 campaign, with DeMbare rooted third from the bottom after just one win in 11 outings. His exit mirrors the systemic dysfunction that has plagued the club under controversial board chairman Bernard Marriot.
Dynamos are wallowing deep in the relegation zone after managing only one win in their opening 11 games. The ailing Castle Lager Premiership giants are expected to announce a complete technical team reshuffle tomorrow in a desperate attempt to rescue a season already on the brink of disaster.
This means DeMbare will have a new coach when they take on old foes CAPS United in the Harare Derby set for Rufaro this Sunday.
“Following a thorough review of the team’s current performance and log standing, the club has resolved to take immediate action to restore its competitive edge.
To address the performance slump, the management has decided to:
1. Restructure the current technical team in its entirety, following due process.
2. Issue a full statement on the new structure by Wednesday, May 14, 2025 (tomorrow).
These measures aim to revitalise the team’s performance and uphold the club’s reputation,” said a statement signed by the management.
However, Dynamos’ supporters responded by criticising the team’s leadership for always barking up the wrong tree while dodging the real administrative challenges that have haunted the club for almost 10 years since Marriot appointed himself board chairman.
Marriot orchestrated his rise to power when he succeeded Freddy Mkwesha 11 years ago. He has since surrounded himself with yes-men through obscure board appointments, eventually claiming majority shareholding and successfully defending in court his claim to control the club.
However, Marriot’s tenure has coincided with the fall of the once-mighty Zimbabwean football giants. Dynamos have not won the title since 2014, when he took over, riding on the back of the famous four-peat under coach Callisto Pasuwa.
DeMbare’s fall has been gradual. They finished second in 2015, four points behind Chicken Inn; fifth in 2016, 17 points behind champions CAPS United; and second in 2017.
In 2018, DeMbare finished 11th, 36 points behind FC Platinum. In 2019, they finished ninth. They placed third in 2021-22 and 2023 and eighth last year.
Marriot has often been accused of interfering with the work of the executive, which forced businessman Keni Mubaiwa to resign in 2018.
The current executive, led by Moses Maunganidze, probably ranks as one of the worst to run Dynamos.
They have failed, among other things, to attract and retain sponsorship, sign top talent, allocate resources for success, or make sensible coaching appointments. Above all, they have transformed DeMbare into the laughingstock of the Premiership.
Just a few days ago, the Maunganidze-led executive voiced support for Chigowe and his technical team despite the growing discontent among supporters.
They were forced to sing a different tune yesterday, hoping to pacify the increasingly disillusioned army of supporters and former players.
DeMbare legend Murape Murape, who won six titles with the club, has been vocal about the rot.
“Tirikunyura takatarisa (we are sinking fast) . . . Dynamos lost again and you’ll hear supporters saying “the coach must go!’,” he said in a recent Facebook post.
The former DeMbare midfielder has been consistent in his criticism of the administrative shortcomings at his childhood club.
“But let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Are player recruitment, resource allocation, and strategic planning by management contributing to the team’s struggles? Maybe it’s time to hold everyone accountable!
The current state of the club is a result of poor governance and management. We need good governance, transparency, and effective management to turn things around,” he continued.
The Maunganidze executive, which took over at the end of 2022, has experienced a fair share of troubles, unmatched even by predecessors such as Farai Munetsi (2010), Keni Mubaiwa (2011–2018), Solomon Sanyamandwe (July 2018–Jan 2019), and Isaiah Mupfurutsa (2019–22).
Dynamos have made about 11 coaching appointments and reappointments since Marriot took over in 2014. Under executive chairman Mubaiwa, DeMbare appointed Pasuwa, who led them to four league titles in a row from 2011 to 2014.
Mubaiwa and his team also appointed David Mandigora, who lasted just seven months in 2015; Tonderai Ndiraya (2015–16), and the controversial Portuguese coach Jorge Paulo Silva, who lasted only a few games in 2016.
When Ndiraya replaced Mandigora in 2015, DeMbare finished second, four points behind Chicken Inn. They were fifth in 2016, 17 points behind CAPS United, and second in 2017 under Lloyd Mutasa.
In late 2018, under Sanyamandwe’s leadership, Chigowe saved DeMbare from relegation as they finished 11th, 36 points behind champions FC Platinum. Club leadership was reshuffled again at the beginning of 2019, ushering in banker Isaiah Mupfurutsa. DeMbare finished ninth after Ndiraya returned to replace Chigowe earlier in the season.
Sanyamandwe, who briefly held the chairmanship post from July 2018 to January 2019 before being replaced by Mupfurutsa, had elevated Chigowe from the juniors as the DeMbare job failed to attract takers.
It worked, and the giants survived the chop. But with little support and zero strategy from the executive, DeMbare had another woeful start in 2019, prompting Mupfurutsa to quickly rehire Ndiraya. DeMbare finished ninth.
The team’s performances improved in the 2021–22 season with a decent third-place finish. With Mupfurutsa out, the Maunganidze executive settled for Hebert Maruwa in 2023, and later that same year, Genesis Mangombe, who led the side to another third-place finish.
Like many of his predecessors, Mangombe did not finish the 2024 season and was replaced by Chigowe midway through. But DeMbare relapsed again and finished eighth.
Mubaiwa, in his resignation, cited excessive interference from Marriot regarding whether to rehire Pasuwa or Mutasa.
“When Freddy Mkwesha was board chairman, we never had any problems relating to interference, but with Marriot it has been a different case.
That is why, under Mkwesha, we were able to win four league titles,” said Mubaiwa.
Dynamos fans were furious yesterday following the executive’s announcement of the technical bench reshuffle. The supporters are demanding a complete overhaul of the executive and the handover of control from Marriot to capable hands.
“Dynamos issues, in my opinion, have never been about the technical team,” said Theresa Tiribabi.
“Tonde Ndiraya left, he’s doing very well (at Scottland); Herbert left, he’s doing well (at TelOne), so administration sit down and look at what the real problem is and not just blame the technical team.”
Shepherd Nyathi painted a gloomy picture:
“The problem isn’t the technical team. The problem is the owner and, by extension, the executive he appointed.
You can change coaches a million times, but as long as the current owners remain, the club will be relegated. The truth is, you have failed to run this club professionally.”
Davison Tembo weighed in:
“Technical team shortcomings are the result of maladministration at the club. You’ve failed to attract and retain talent, and you expect the technical team to perform miracles?
The current leadership at Dynamos has no vision. Even if you bring in Pep, as long as Marriot and his crew are there, the team will be relegated.”
The club’s management was forced to spring into action yesterday following Sunday’s 0-2 defeat to lowly Triangle at Gibbo.
The result kept them rooted third from bottom on the Premiership table after 11 games. DeMbare have managed only one win and a meagre eight points.
The club’s management is expected to name a new technical team tomorrow, with Saul Chaminuka and Dutch mentor Hendrik de Jongh front-runners for the job. Negotiations have been ongoing behind closed doors in recent days.
Dynamos Coaches Since 2009:
David Mandigora (2009), Elvis Chiweshe (2010–11), Lloyd Mutasa (2011), Callisto Pasuwa (2011–14), David Mandig-ora (2015), Tonderai Ndiraya (2015–16), Jorge Paulo Silva (2016), Lloyd Mutasa (2016–18), Biggie Zuze (2018), Lloyd Mutasa (2018), Lloyd Chigowe (2019) Tonderai Ndiraya (2019–22), Hebert Maruwa (2023), Genesis Mangombe (2023), Lloyd Chigowe (2024–25).
Online Reporter